Torque and Chrome

Plating decorative chrome on leaded steel?

I'm plating decorative chrome on leaded steel head bolt covers and have sporadict pitting I can't totally eliminate. I have tried a number of diffrent processes and have'nt found one that helps yet.

Public Comments

1. copper plate 1st?
2. Not much info here? Which processes have you tried? Are you trying to chrome plate over lead? Which chrome are you using? Lead is not the easiest metal to plate over but I'll tell you what works well. Make sure the lead is CLEAN before you start. Use a mild caustic bath (sodium hydroxide) and scrub it well, rinse, go into a mild hydrochloric acid for about 5-10 seconds and let it gas briefly, rinse well. From there you want to go into a nickel bath, the following work well, electroless, nickel chloride or nickel sulphate. If you choose nickel chloride or nickel sulphate you want to go in live. Do not use copper before the nickel, nothing but problems. Nickel chloride for adhesion purposes only. If you choose nickel sulphate you will get adhesion plus a nice bright plate that will also level well. From there you can give it your chrome flash or go into a cyanide copper strike then copper sulphate for more brightness and leveling if need be. I could go on but know very little about you're doing? Are you racking the parts? wiring? Any prep before the plate? Amperage? Good Luck